Essex, Virginia — Presidential Election Results
Essex, Virginia has voted Republican in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2016. In 2024, it was 13.7 pts more Rep. than Virginia overall.
Jump to year: 2000 · 2004 · 2008 · 2012 · 2016 · 2020 · 2024
Full Election History, 2000–2024
| Year | Winner | Party | Votes | Vote Share | Margin | Total Votes Cast | Swing | Vs. Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 1,995 | 52.1% | 6.4 pts (245 votes) | 3,831 | — | 1.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 2,304 | 53.0% | 6.8 pts (297 votes) | 4,344 | -0.3 pts | 1.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 2,934 | 54.7% | 10.3 pts (555 votes) | 5,364 | +17.3 pts | 4.1 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 3,016 | 53.1% | 7.3 pts (414 votes) | 5,675 | -3.1 pts | 3.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 2,657 | 49.1% | 2.1 pts (115 votes) | 5,408 | -9.6 pts | 7.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 3,075 | 49.8% | 0.6 pts (37 votes) | 6,178 | +1.6 pts | 10.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 3,245 | 53.5% | 7.8 pts (470 votes) | 6,064 | -7.2 pts | 13.7 pts more Rep. |
Population Context
Total Census Bureau population estimate for the county that year, and recorded votes as a share of that total population. This is a population-based figure, not a turnout rate against eligible or registered voters, which this site does not calculate.
| Year | County Population | Votes Cast (% of Population) |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 9,984 | 38.4% of population |
| 2004 | 10,238 | 42.4% of population |
| 2008 | 10,920 | 49.1% of population |
| 2012 | 11,135 | 51.0% of population |
| 2016 | 11,077 | 48.8% of population |
| 2020 | 10,597 | 58.3% of population |
| 2024 | 10,683 | 56.8% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Essex shifted 1.3 points toward the Republican candidate, based on recorded county returns. This reflects the vote totals in this dataset only; no claim is made here about the causes of that shift.
Margin Over Time
Democratic candidate's margin (percentage points, two-party vote share). Positive values favor the Democratic candidate; negative values favor the Republican candidate.
Bellwether Status
Essex has matched the national popular winner in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections (86%), and Virginia's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Virginia Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Essex voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Essex has voted Democratic in 2 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 5 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Essex?
Essex's closest recorded margin was in 2020, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 0.6 points (37 votes) out of 6,178 total votes cast.
Has Essex ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Essex changed which party won the county in: 2008, 2016, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Essex?
The widest margin on record for Essex was in 2008, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 10.4 points.
How many votes were cast in Essex relative to its population?
In 2024, 6,064 votes were recorded in Essex against a total population of 10,683 (56.8% of the total population). This is a population-based figure, not a turnout rate against eligible or registered voters, which this site does not calculate.
Is Essex a presidential bellwether county?
Essex has matched the national popular winner in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections (86%), and Virginia's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%).